{"type":"doc","content":[{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"After teaching hundreds of students to read peyote stitch patterns, I've noticed the same three mistakes come up again and again. If you've ever finished a row only to realize your beads are shifted one column off — this post is for you."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Mistake #1: Reading the Chart Left-to-Right on Every Row"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Peyote stitch charts look like a grid, so it's natural to read every row from left to right. But peyote is worked in a zigzag — odd rows go left-to-right, even rows go right-to-left. If you ignore this, your pattern will mirror incorrectly on alternating rows. The fix: number your rows on the chart and draw small arrows showing the direction of travel for each one."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Mistake #2: Confusing the Bead Chart with the Thread Path"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"A bead chart shows where each bead sits in the finished piece — it does NOT show you the order you pick up beads. In flat even-count peyote, you string the entire first two rows at once, then stitch back through every other bead. New stitchers often try to place beads one at a time from row 1, which makes the foundation impossible. Learn to see the chart as a map of the destination, not the route."}]},{"type":"heading","attrs":{"level":2},"content":[{"type":"text","text":"Mistake #3: Ignoring the Offset (Brick-Like Stagger)"}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Peyote stitch produces a half-step offset between adjacent columns — like a brick wall. Many charting programs display this correctly with staggered cells, but some use a plain square grid. If your chart uses a square grid, you need to mentally shift every other column up by half a bead height. Printing the chart and physically cutting/shifting columns is a game-changer for beginners."}]},{"type":"paragraph","content":[{"type":"text","text":"Master these three concepts and you'll be able to pick up almost any peyote pattern and read it confidently. If you want the full system — including multi-color mapping, odd-count turns, and tubular peyote — check out the Peyote Stitch Pattern Reading Mastery course."}]}]}